Exercise riders: Racing's behind-the-scenes stars

Exercise rider Walter Blum strikes a pose for the camera. "My dad told me, ‘You may not have a million bucks, but you can always look like a million bucks.’ "

Long before dawn, before the rest of the world stirs, exercise riders head to work. These men and women work outdoors in sun, rain, or snow, on sweltering and bone-chilling days. Some have no days off. Some live on-track. Many move regularly, sometimes with just a day’s notice.

Some riders spend just a few years galloping before leaving the track. But then there are the veterans. Their faces and actions reflect their experience. These excellent riders, with figurative clocks in their heads, are the go-to journeymen that trainers seek out. They understand when to hold back and when to lay it down. They show up each morning. They know how a particular bit can improve a horse’s performance or when a horse is just the slightest bit off.

This is the first of two installments offering a glimpse into the lives of six such exercise riders, who range in age from 31 to 50. Although most are known only to backstretch regulars, our sport could not go on without them. Each of these veterans is a star.

It’s beach day at Hollywood Beach in Florida, and Blum is reprimanding a volleyball partner. He is nearly doubled over with laughter as he gestures, points, and yells. Blum’s brilliant blue eyes flash, and his broad smile brims with confidence.

“There’s no ‘I’ in team!” he says. “But there’s a ‘m-e!’ ”

Laughter comes easily for Blum, a fun-loving exercise rider extraordinaire who has galloped horses for trainers like Todd Pletcher and Bobby Frankel, but he’s as competitive a person as you’ll ever meet. He is one of those guys you remember from high school – good-looking, outgoing, popular, athletic, the type who could pick up a racquet, ball, or club and be the best.

“I hate to lose more than I like to win,” Blum says. “I’m competitive over anything. It could be jacks or hopscotch.”

The youngest son of the Hall of Fame jockey and later track steward of the same name, Blum, 31, says he has always known he would become a jockey.

“My mom has pictures from when I was maybe a year old and my dad was holding me on the pony at Hialeah,” he says. “From the time I can remember, I’ve always loved jockeys, knowing I was going to be one.”

But a twist of fate squelched Blum’s dream. Despite his father’s short stature, Blum shot up eight inches in one semester during in his junior year. He is 6 feet tall.

Before his growth spurt a young Blum hung out at jocks’ rooms, talked with the athletes, and studied their methods. He was 13 the first time he rode a racehorse. Blum becomes animated when he recalls an early experience in which he lost control of the first horse he galloped.

“I didn’t realize how strong they were,” he says. “I made it about three-quarters around and my hands were down on her neck at first, and now they’re coming up, and up, and up, and she’s going faster. So I did what you’re not supposed to do – I reached for another hold of her, and when I did, she went just dead-full speed − boom! − in 21.

“I’m going down the backside, and I’m screaming, ‘Whoa! Whoa!’ and the more I yell, the faster she goes. By this time, everyone that works back there is standing on the rail to watch the state steward’s son die out there.

“She ends up running around there five times,” Blum says. “We went home, and the next morning I was up at 5:30, waking my dad up to go back out there. That’s when he knew, if I stayed small enough, I would make it.”

But Blum grew. He considered being a jump jockey, a career in which the question isn’t if you’ll get hurt but when – but it was not for him. He could also have played golf professionally. For a year, Blum played on a tour that prepares golfers for the PGA.

“But when I woke up in the morning, I didn’t find myself wanting to go to the driving range,” he says. “I wanted to go to the track and ride horses.”

So Blum kept studying and learning. When he was 13, he hung around every Lukas horse in the paddock before their races. There, he doggedly pursued Lukas’s assistant, a meticulously dressed young man named Todd Pletcher. Blum even told his dad he wanted a suit just like Pletcher’s – and he got one.

The young Blum told Pletcher that by the time Pletcher became a trainer, Blum would have his license, and he wanted to ride for him. A few years later, Pletcher was one of the first people that rode Blum in the mornings.

After beginning his career in Florida, Blum moved to New York, at age 18, to the home of family friend Angel Cordero Jr. He’s been many places since and has worked for top trainers like Rick Dutrow Jr., Ken McPeek, and Frankel. He has piloted horses such as Ventura, Ginger Punch, Proudinsky, Noble’s Promise, Tapitsfly, and Big Brown. Blum has stayed put in Florida the last few years because his mother has been ailing, but he hopes to travel again soon.

Blum is one of the tallest exercise riders you’ll see, and he can sometimes look odd on small horses, especially leaning down over their necks when jogging. But he is respected nationally for his quiet hands on a horse – “Ride them with love,” he says. He hates hitting a horse with a whip and rarely needs to carry one. He instead tries to get into a horse’s head and figure out how to make that horse its happiest and most productive. Horses feel his confidence. Horses relax for him. When his horses breeze, Blum becomes the jockey he wanted to be.

He’ll ride anything, from the sweetest filly to the toughest colt. And while he often works primarily for one stable – lately, Frank Calabrese at Gulfstream − he freelances for others. You’ll sometimes see Blum out there from the first set through the last – 10, 12, even 14 mounts.

Blum heads home after work, washes up and gets ready for whatever else his day may bring – golf, volleyball, surfing, tennis, the track. His slicked-back hair is meticulously styled and maintained, and he always dresses sharply. He has even gotten modeling gigs, where, no surprise, he’s a natural. Countless friends have given him nicknames – not just the usual fare, Wally or Walt, but also Hollywood and Top Gun.

“My dad told me, ‘You may not have a million bucks, but you can always look like a million bucks,’ ” Blum says.

Blum tries to liven up the sport. He smiles at strangers, offers assistance to newcomers, and keeps people laughing with his stories and antics. He makes people happier, bringing smiles to friends he knows and those he’s meeting for the first time.

“You need some characters for the sport to survive,” he says. “The game has got to come to our generation. The game should be fun.”

This is part 1 of DRF Weekend's two-part series on exercise riders. Click here for more behind-the-scenes photos of the featured riders at Barbara Livingston's blog.

Got to have a lot of respect for workers on the backside! tough life and dangerous profession with very little pay. But without people like Walter Blum and the like, the game would not be at the professional level that we all take for granted.

Mike

More than 1 year ago

This story has the makings of an Eclipse Nominee!

Thomas Cook

More than 1 year ago

Blum? Well I guess if ya pops is famous ya get the press. Try any one of Mott, Motion, Matz, Shug, Albertrani, Romans, Or go spend time at Fairhill where the riders aren't afraid to get dirty. And stay in the barns to help the assistants vs. volleyball on Hollywood Beach....

Barbara Livingston

More than 1 year ago

If ya pops is famous, and you're unusually talented, outgoing and helpful, ya get my press. I'm very honored to call Walter a friend, regardless of his pops. And he ain't afraid to get dirty, blah blah blah.
I worked in barns for years, and if you visit my FB page you'll find I recognize countless backstretch folk regularly...clean or dirty, famous pops or not.
Barking up the wrong tree! ;-)

Thomas Cook

More than 1 year ago

Barbara...this isn't a slight against your journalism or background. I'm well aware of both. As far as reputations go, yours is tops for what that's worth. Maybe you just aren't aware of Walter's night life habits...from the past...as I am unaware of present. True we all have skeletons. I do. But coming to work as a rider, with countless other riders on the track, after "partying" on route one from Hollywood Beach to South Beach all night isn't admirable. Its dangerous! Again. I'm going back a while. He was younger. We all make mistakes in chosing our friends, and or clients. Sorry if I offended you.

Barbara Livingston

More than 1 year ago

Wow, I'm glad my past isn't brought up in vitriolic fashion in public. It's a shame you feel the need. I once dated a nice young man from the Mott barn with a partying past. I'd guess many people from Romans' and Albertrani's barns do, as well.
I don't say Walter's a puritan and doubt the other people I've written about are, either. These stories are about 6 very different people with something amazing in common. That was the stories' focus.
Walter's as fine/natural a horseman as I've seen - several trainers think he's the best in the country. He makes strangers feel like instant friends. And during my several interviews with him, he never said a negative word about a single person! - and we had in-depth conversations about many subjects.
I'm very honored to have written about him and to know him.

Lupe Velez

More than 1 year ago

Thomas, I suppose you'd rather that Barbara write about priests and nuns doing charity work at the track. Oh wait.....there's that thing about little boys and all that wine not getting used for mass. Get a life Dude.....you have some serious sour grapes there. Walter is an exceptional horseman, one I wouldn't hesitate to put on my horses. How many people, no matter the profession, have a lily-white past? I suppose you live in a glass house Thomas

Mike

More than 1 year ago

Sounds like yr a bit jealous of Walter jr???

Edward Tiger

More than 1 year ago

its about time some others start to get a bit of recognition,,,,,for LOOK AT ME Instead of The Love Man,,,,,,,,everybody has a story,,,,,,,Walters is interesting,,,THE RACETRACK IS A COLORFUL Place with colorful people,,,,and if this is the era of look at me Come SEE THE LUV MAN,,,,,In your face all the time ,,,then why not this kid,,,,,,and hes a good exercise rider,,,dont tell his dad but he may even have a better seat on a horse,,,,,,,there are so many of us who have interesting storys,,,The Sport is dying and we need good storys,,,this is one of them,,,instead of the same old same old,,,Thank You Barbara,,,,good going Walter

Barbara Livingston

More than 1 year ago

Thanks so much, Edward!
Walter has a very funny story that is along the lines of your note. Every so often, to 'goof' on his Dad, he watches old race replays and tells his Dad he didn't look good on a horse. His Dad's response, which is accompanied by a big smile? "Yeah? Do they still have that plaque of mine up in Saratoga?" ;-)
Thanks for your kind words! I appreciate them!

JW

More than 1 year ago

rather . .When is Blum coming out of the closet? . .

philcoforde

More than 1 year ago

Why...you need a date GOOF ?

Barbara Livingston

More than 1 year ago

Not sure if he has room to get in his closet, with all of the world-class, envy-of-the-town suits and shoes he keeps in there.
Is there a reason you'd care, JW? ;-) (great response, philcoforde!)

LauraB

More than 1 year ago

Whatever closet, this guy has it going on! Body and career! Liked your response as well, Barbara! Take care.

JW

More than 1 year ago

When is Blum coming out of the closed? . .

Mike

More than 1 year ago

Wouldn't think he has the time as the ladies are lined up around the block.

Dan Fidel

More than 1 year ago

The human interest stories as well as the horse stories are the backbone of racing, that keep the true racing fan coming back and pique the fascination of potentially new fans. Owners, trainers, jockeys, exercise riders, grooms, hotwalkers, blacksmiths, vets all have a story to tell that we would like to see more of.Thats a good way to market racing. Not everyone stands around picking letters instead of horses like they used to do at OTB. Those type of articles are the first ones I click on when I open the form.

miguel

More than 1 year ago

great articale!!!! BLUM- your little brother all the best and good health-and let it be-GOD bless you & family .... HAPPIE everything is well for you..keep up the good work.....M.A.G. & family!!!!!!

Frank Kulcsar

More than 1 year ago

sharp kid

Ellen Harvey

More than 1 year ago

Thanks to DRF.com for bringing us these high value features. Very much enjoy the writing and the photography of Barbara Livingston - one of th Form's greatest assets.